Nursing bottle



Jan. 13, 1948. n. HAMIEL 2,434,611

NURSING BOTTLE Filed April 17, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. florm an 61 17am z'el ATTO EY.

Jan. 13, 1948. D. E. HAMIEL 2,434,611

NURSING BOTTLE v Filed April 17,.1944 2 Sheets Sheat 2 Dormant: l/amz'el mvsmox BY 6W ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 13, 1948 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NURSING BOTTLE Dorms-n E. HamieLColumbus, Ohio Application April 1'1, 1944, Serial No. 531,319

4 Claims. i

This invention relates to infants nursing bottles and nipples therefor, and has for its general object to provide for an improved vent or air passage arrangement by which air is drawn into the bottle during nursing in a volume regulating manner, whereby to insure proper flow of milk or other liquids from the bottle throughout feeding periods and to prevent undue collapsing of the nipple as a result of partial vacuum conditions in the bottle.

While prior art devices recognize the problem and provide for the interior venting of nursing bottles, it is customary in their construction to employ a venting passage of fixed or constant area. With such an arrangement, it is impossible to vary the volume of air entering the bottle in order to obtain difierent flow rates of the liquid nutrient or to adapt the same to liquids of difi'erent viscosities. Certain infants feed rapidly and others relatively slowly, and when there exists a fixed or constant flow of air intothe bottle, no compensation is provided to adapt the rate of withdrawal of the liquid to the feeding infant's individual requirements. Also, a similar situation is present when the milk or liquid contained in the bottle varies in its consistency or viscosity.

The present invention, therefore, has for one of its primary objects to provide an improved nursing bottle and associated nipple formed with a plurality of vents of varying size which are adapted for single and selective use in controlling volumetrically the inflow of air into the bottle, whereby to provide for different withdrawal rates of liquid from the feeding outlet of the nipple, adjusted to the infants feedin pecularities and, also, compensating for liquids of varying consistency, body or viscosity.

It is another object of the invention to provide bottle and nipple members wherein a plurality of spaced vents, each of difierent cross sectional area, are formed in one of said members and a single venting means in the other, so that by registering the single venting means with one of the plurality of spaced vents, desired control is readily obtained in the amount of air entering the bottle, or when the single venting means is disposed out of registration with any one of the space vents, the combined venting passages are closed, so that undue leakage ofthe contents of the bottle is prevented.

Another object is to provide an improved nipple for nursing bottles of the wide neck type, wherein the nipple is so formed that when the same is flexed downwardly into the neck of the bottle, through the application of a threaded sealing 2 and nipple-protecting cap to the bottle, it will through its own inherent resiliency, upon removal of the cap, spring back to its normal operative position.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view disclosing the upper portion of a nursing bottle formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the neck portion of the bottle and disclosing the associated nipple operatively positioned thereon;

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, disclosing the nipple in its depressed position within the neck of the bottle and covered or sealed by a protecting cap;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view disclosing the nipple actively positioned on the neck of the bottle;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the multiple vents provided on the outside of the bottle neck;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in vertical section, disclosin the single venting means provided in the inner face of the bottle neck-engaging flange of the nipple,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the upper portion of a modified type of bottle;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the bottle disclosed in Fig. 8 with the nipple thereon;

Fig, 10 is a sectional perspective view disclosing the vent grooves in the nipple disclosed in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the bottle and nipple of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing a further modification of the bottle disclosed in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

numeral I0 designates my improved nursing bottle, the same being provided with a substantially cylindrical body ll terminating at the upper end thereof in a relatively wide neck l2. The latter has integrally formed therewith a horizontally disposed, externally situated, annular rib IS, the same having flat upper and lower surfaces and cylindrical outer surfaces, said rib being disposed in spaced relation from an annular external shoulder l4 provided on the bottle, so that an annular groove i5 is provided between the flat under surface of the rib l3 and the shoulder M.

The rib is provided with a multiplicity of spaced and selectively usuable vents A. Each of these vents is formed by providing shallow recesses IS in the upper and lower surfaces of the rib I3, the said recesses of each vent being united by a straight vertical groove ll formed in the outer cylindrical surface of the rib l3. By reference to the drawing, it will be noted that the groove I l of each of the vents A possesses a different crosssectional area than the corresponding grooves of the remaining vents, this construction being employed in order to provide for volumetric variation in the amount of atmospheric air admitted into the bottle during infant feeding.

Normally closing the wide open neck of the bottle is a flexible nipple of rubber or rubberlike material. The nipple comprises a normally convex and freely flexible body l8, the latter having integrally formed therewith a centrally disposed and upstanding nipple extension or head I9 and an outer bottle neck embracing band 20 which, preferably, is somewhat thicker in cross section than the body portion l8. In vertical cross section, the band is shaped to conform substantially to the external configuration of the bottle neck l2 and includes an annular inwardly directed bottom flange 2| which is resiliently receivable in the groove l5, and a spaced upper flange 22. Between said flanges, the band 20 is provided with an annular groove 23 adapted for the reception of the rib l3 of the bottle neck. Due to the elastic nature of the material from which the nipple is formed, the inner surfaces of the band 20 closely engage the complementary surfaces of the bottle neck, the nipple fitting closely around the neck to prevent loss or seepage of the liquid contents of the bottle.

However, in order to provide for a limited or regulated inflow of air into the interior of the bottle, to overcome negative pressures therein and prevent collapsing of the nipple during infant feeding, the ribs or flanges 2| and 22' are provided with vertically registering passages 24, which may be in the form of grooves, as disclosed, or may be produced by spaced ribs projecting outwardly from the bottle engaging surfaces of the flanges 2| and 22. Usually the grooves are so formed that when the band 20 is elastically expanded around the bottle neck, said grooves will possess throughout their length a cross sectional area corresponding with the groove ll of greatest area. Exteriorly the band 20 has molded or otherwise formed therein an indexing pointer 25 which, when registered with flow-disclosing indicia 26 on the bottle neck, provides an external indication as to the registration of the passages 24 with a particular groove I! of the bottle. Thus the letter S on the bottle indicates the word slow which means that the venting passages are disposed to admit of but minimum amounts of atmospheric air into the bottle, adaptin the bottle to a slow rate of liquid withdrawal through the outlet of the head IQ of the nipple.

By aligning the indexing pointer with the letter M on the bottle, the venting passage provides for a medium rate of outflow oi the liquid contents of the bottle, and when the pointer registers with the letter F, the venting passages include the groove ll of greatest cross sectional area, providing for the maximum rate of liquid withdrawal through the nipple.

It will be understood that other indicia may be employed as well as a greater or smaller number of venting passages in the rib I3 of the bottle. Also, the indicia on the bottle provide the des- 4 ignation 013" with an accompanying arrow, so that when the pointer 25 is aligned therewith, or otherwise disposed out of registration with the positions designated 8, M and F, the user of the bottle will be informed that the nipple and bottle venting passages are out of relative registration and therefore the bottle will be sealed against the entrance of atmospheric air. This position of the nipple is desirable, particularly when the bottle is not being used, or is being carried in a liquid-filled state from place to place.

Usually, such nursing devices are sterilized at frequent intervals by placing the same in boiling water for limited periods of time. Thereafter, and upon cooling, it is a common practice to fill a number of the sterilized bottles with milk or other liquids used in infant nourishment, this being followed by the application of the rubber nipples. In order to maintain the nipples in a sanitary condition during storage and until used, I apply to each bottle and over the nipple thereon, a protecting cap 21. Conveniently, this cap may be formed from one of the so-cailed plastics and interiorly thereof and towards its lower edge, is rovided with a single thread 28 which is adapted for engagement with a corresponding thread 29 provided on the bottle neck. When the cap is tightened on the bottle neck, as shown in Fig. 4, the body of the nipple is depressed, together with the head I9, to occupy the interior of the bottle neck. Cross sectionally, the top of the cap is corrugated, as at 30, to form a centrally disposed socket 3| in which the nipple head I9 is received, the socket serving to guide the central portion of the nipple as it is being depressed. The outer portion of the cap presses on the peripheral part of the body l8 and forces the same into flrm sealing engagement with the upper edge surface of the bottle neck. The cross sectional configuration of the nipple is such that when the cap 21 is removed from the bottle, the inherent resiliency of the body portion of the nipple'will cause the same to spring back to its normal or active position as viewed in Fig. 2.

Usually, in nipples of this kind, when the same are depressed, their tendency is to remain in the depressed or inactive position, so that fingers are needed to pull the nipple upwardly to its active position, a condition which may result in contaminating exterior surfaces of the nipple head. This pulling of the nipple outwardly is not required in my present construction, since when the cap is removed from the bottle, the

nipple immediately springs back in a purely au-' tomatic manner to its active or extended form.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a nursing bottle which is simple in construction, easily cleaned to maintain it perfectly sanitary, and wherein the nipple may be positioned on the bottle to provide for volumetric variations in the air drawn into the bottle during feeding operations.

While I have shown and described the present apparatus as applied to nursing bottles of the type having a wide outlet or neck, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to nursing bottles of other formation. Likewise, it will be understood that the construction here disclosed is subject to certain modification without departing from its operating principles. For example, in Fig. 8, the neck 35 of the bottle 36 is provided with a single vent passage 31 in the collar 38. This vent passage is adapted for selective registration with a plurality of vent passages 39 formed in the nipple 40, the

passages 39 each possessing a cross-sectional area differing from that of any of the remaining passages. Also, as shown in Fig. 12, instead of usin grooves to form the passages 39, I may provide the nipple-engaging surfaces of the collar with ribs 4| which produce at their sides passages for the flow of air. Other variations will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art, and I, therefore, reserve the right to employ all such modifications falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a bottle having an open neck, an integral annular rib projecting from the outer surfaces of said neck, said rib being provided with a plurality of spaced vents, each of said vents embodying recessed upper and lower portions united by a connecting passageway, the passageway of each vent differing in cross-sectional area. from the corresponding passageways of the remaining vents, and a nipple of flexible material applied to the open neck of said bottle, said nipple embodying an outer band having close elastic engagement with the outer surfaces of said neck and its vented rib, the interior of said band being formed with a single set of vertically aligned vents adapted for selective registration with any on of the multiple vents of said rib, whereby to provide channels of restricted cross sectional area for conducting atmospheric air to the interior of the bottle and nipple when the latter occupies its applied position on the bottle. 2. As a, new article of manufacture, a nursing bottle having an open neck, an integral annular rib projecting from the outer surfaces of said neck, said rib being formed with a plurality of spaced vents, each of said vents comprising recessed upper and lower portions united by a connecting passageway, the passageways of each vent differing in cross sectional area from the corresponding passageways of the remaining vents.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a nursing bottle having an open neck, an integral annular rib projecting from the outer surfaces of said neck, said rib being formed with a plurality of spaced vents, each of said vents comprising recessed upper and lower portions united by a connecting passageway, the passageways of each vent difl'ering in cross sectional area from the corresponding passageways of the remaining vents, and indicia provided on said bottle below said rib and in registration with said vents and serving to designate the positions of the latter when a nipple is applied to the neck portion of the bottle.

4. In combination with a bottle member having an open neck, a nipple member of flexibl elastic material having a peripheral band adapted for close-fitting engagement with the outer surfaces of said neck, one of said members in the region of the engaging surfaces of said bottle and nipple members being formed with an integral annular rib having a single vent passage, the other of said members being formed with a complemental rib having a. plurality of spaced venting passages, each of said last-named venting passages difiering in cross sectional area from each other the selective registration of any one of the last-named vents with said first-named vent serving to regulate the volume of air entering the interior of the bottle and nipple members to regulate the withdrawal of the bottle member contents through said nipple member for infant feeding.

DORMAN E. HAMIEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 13,308 Bruders Nov. 7, 1911 1,004,304 Shepherd Sept. 26, 1911 1,118,134 Jones Nov. 24, 1914 1,666,772 Campobasso .et al. Apr. 17, 1928 1,919,537 Stock July 25, 1933 1,999,581 Yager Apr. 30, 1935 2,056,124 Pierson et al Sept. 29, 1936 2,204,448 Schmid June 11, 1940 2,238,828 Schmid Apr. 15, 1941 2,372,281 Jordan Mar. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 844.458 France Apr. 24, 1929 

